Ministry of Religious Affairs Launches 360-degree Virtual Tour of Borobudur Temple
- kemenag.go.id
Magelang – Last Saturday, the Directorate General of Buddhist Community Guidance, Ministry of Religious Affairs, made a significant breakthrough by unveiling the Virtual Visualization of Borobudur in 360 during the Devotion Experience (Dev-X) event held at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) in Senayan, Jakarta.
Dev-X, inaugurated by Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, took place as part of the 78th Anniversary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and lasted for three days from January 5 to January 7, 2024.
This Virtual 360 provides a novel way to explore Borobudur Temple without physically being present in Magelang, Central Java. The innovation proves highly beneficial for both educational and religious aspects.
Rilis pencitraan virtual Borobudur 360 di Dev-X Kemenag
- Kemenag
The launch was marked by a viewing activity of the Virtual Visualization of Borobudur 360 within the Exhibition Booth of the Directorate General of Buddhist Community Guidance.
Akhmad Fauzin, Head of the Public Relations, Data, and Information Bureau of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, mentioned that visitors then took turns enjoying the virtual exploration of Borobudur.
Meanwhile, Supriyadi, Director General of Buddhist Community Guidance stated that the Virtual 360 Visualization can also be accessed by the public through the Directorate General of Buddhist Community Guidance website.
According to Supriyadi, this virtual visualization service is introduced to support Borobudur's role as a world heritage site and a central place of worship for Buddhists worldwide.
The service is also expected to facilitate those interested in closely studying the intricately carved reliefs at Borobudur.
"Feel free to explore the Virtual Visualization of Borobudur 360 by visiting our website. This is part of digitally-based religious and educational tourism. Hopefully, it will be beneficial," he remarked.
Borobudur is the largest Buddhist temple in the world. According to Supriyadi, Borobudur's status as the center of Buddhist religious activities in Indonesia and globally was officially recognized through Director General of Buddhist Community Guidance Decree Number 26 of 2021.
In addition, Cultural Heritage Law emphasizes Borobudur's role as a world heritage site that must be preserved.
"With the introduction of the Virtual Visualization of Borobudur 360, it is hoped that Indonesians' pride in their cultural heritage will deepen. Especially for Buddhist adherents, this application can serve as a digital-era religious tourism space," said Supriyadi.
Akhmad Fauzin, Head of the Public Relations, Data, and Information Bureau of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, added that the ministry continues to promote awareness regarding the temples' functions as places of worship.
For Buddhist adherents, there is Borobudur, and for Hindu followers, there is Prambanan Temple.
"Until now, temples were often regarded solely as cultural and heritage sites, with their religious functions somewhat overlooked. Now, their religious functions are being maximized," explained Akhmad Fauzin.
Fauzin also highlighted that the introduction of the Virtual Visualization of Borobudur 360 is a progressive step, adding significant value to facilitate the religious practices of the Buddhist community.
